


say it with a braid

by reylo_mo (writermo)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Actress Rey, Alderaan, Alderaanian Hair Braiding, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Hair Braiding, Hairdresser Ben Solo, Hairstylist Ben Solo, Mutual Pining, Soft Ben Solo, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:26:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24129664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writermo/pseuds/reylo_mo
Summary: Based on this reylo prompt by @galacticidiots on twitter:An AU where hairdresser Ben loves to style actress Rey’s hair in braids for events. There’s even a particular type he always goes for.One day Leia texts to ask him why he hasn’t brought his fiancée over for dinner.Thing is... he’s been giving Rey Alderaanian wedding braids.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 117
Kudos: 556
Collections: Reylo Prompt Fills (@reylo_prompts)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know not why I did this, but I did. 
> 
> Well, I thought I could try my hand at writing a modern AU with a fun and light-hearted one-shot, but apparently I am not very good at doing things this way, so there will be a second longer chapter coming up very soon. 
> 
> I totally wrote this in a blur without thinking (or researching) so don't be too hard on me!

"There." Ben gave Rey's braided updo one last spritz of hairspray before stepping back to check if there was a single strand out of place. There wasn't, of course. He'd earned his reputation as Benjamin Organa-Solo, renowned celebrity hairdresser, for a reason. 

"Thanks, Ben!" Rey turned her face up to shoot him one of her dazzling smiles and his stomach did a double turn. He hated how every single thing she did still had such a visceral effect on him even after nearly two years of working together. "It looks amazing – it always does."

"Yeah, you always do," muttered Ben, putting his combs away. 

"Sorry, what was that?"

"Nothing."

There was a pregnant pause in the room, until they both spoke at once.

"I should get going."

"So will you be watching, tonight?"

Rey flushed at the awkwardness, and Ben very nearly did the same. He cleared his throat. "Of course," he said. "I need to see how well your hairstyle translates on screen."

"I see," she said quietly. "You know – next time – you could always come see how it looks in person as well. On the red carpet."

His brow furrowed. "In what capacity would I possibly find myself on the actual red carpet?"

He never got to hear her answer, because at that moment Rose, Rey's make-up artist, walked into the room. "Let's get you sparkling and shimmering, baby!" she announced. She stopped to admire Rey's hair. "The braid looks beautiful. I see you went for the signature."

"We don't use it _that_ often," mumbled Ben, just as Rey beamed and said, "Yes, we wanted something we knew would work for tonight."

"I see," said Rose, and she shot Ben a _look_. He had no idea what it meant, so he just glared back in return, and quickly picked up his toolkit. 

"I'm off then," he said. He caught Rey's eyes in the mirror. "Have fun tonight, Rey. And good luck with your nomination."

She smiled softly back at him and he could feel his insides melt. Even without any makeup on yet, she somehow managed to look breathtaking. 

"Bye, Ben," she said. "Thank you."

***

She didn't win, but Ben knew she and her team hadn't really been expecting it anyway. It was her first official awards season, and Rey had mentioned many times that she was up against some seasoned contenders. If Ben was being honest, he didn't understand what seasoned had to do with it. Rey was like a breath of fresh air, a blazing new fireball of talent and dedication, and anyone who didn't see that was blind.

Or maybe he was the one who was being blinded, but he didn't really know anymore. 

He'd fallen asleep on the couch after playing back all the moments Rey was captured on the event livestream, and was awoken by a sharp buzz of his phone right beside his ear. He wrenched an eye open and looked at it. It was a text from his mother. 

Leia: _hope you haven't forgotten our brunch today! by the w, why don't you bring that fiancée of yours?_

Ben blinked. Yes, Leia was in town, and they were supposed to meet for brunch – 

_Fiancée?_

He looked at his watch. He'd overslept a little, so he didn't have the time to get into it over text with his mother or he'd be late for their brunch. 

Ben: _I haven't forgotten. See you soon._

Leia: _hope this means you're bringing her!_

Ben refrained from replying and hauled himself off the couch and towards the bathroom. 

At eleven o'clock, he walked into Maz's cafe and found that Leia had opted for a table set for three instead of two. Rolling his eyes, he wondered who in the world had planted such an absurd idea of his being engaged into her head, and why she would believe it. One would think an Alderaan senator would be a little less impressionable. 

"Hello, mom," he said, planting a kiss on her cheek and giving her the small bouquet of flowers he'd picked up on the way. Leia was only in Coruscant when her job demanded it, so he tended to make these small gestures whenever she did fly into the country. 

Leia looked visibly disappointed. "You came alone."

Ben huffed a small laugh. "Yes, mother. I did. Alone and un-affianced, that's me."

Leia actually rolled her eyes, and it was difficult not to recognise where he'd gotten this habit from - although to be fair he could have inherited it from either parent. "Oh, cut the crap, Ben. You two may be playing it cool for the paps but you can't fool me. Or the entire country of Alderaan, for that matter. It's a wonder how the news outlets haven't picked it up over there."

Ben was beginning to seriously consider ordering a stiff drink to go along with his scrambled eggs. "Mother. What are you talking about?"

"You and Rey, of course!"

Ben always reacted whenever Rey's name was mentioned around him - he couldn't help it - and he felt himself go red in the ears. In this particular instance, however, the effect was tripled by the surprise that his mother actually did pay attention to which celebrities' hair he did, and that she - thought he was engaged to Rey?

He spluttered. "Rey Niima is my client – "

"Whom you've been giving Alderaanian engagement braids to."

He could feel the instant the realisation hit him and he pieced the whole misunderstanding together. It felt a lot like his soul was leaving his body. Or getting run over by a truck. One or the other.

Ben groaned. "It's not – we're not – "

"I'm just saying, if the whole Coruscant acting scene is that ignorant of Alderaanian braiding traditions, that's on them. Quite uncultured, the lot of them, but then again it isn't _their_ culture, so you can't blame them. But if you think I wasn't going to catch on when I turned on the telly last night and spot engagement braids on a girl whose hair I _know_ is done by _my_ son – "

"Mom." Ben wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. "Rey and I are not engaged. We're not dating. The braids - you know they don't matter outside of Alderaan. I just thought they looked – " and even he could hear how his feeble his voice was growing – "nice on her."

Leia gave him a piercing stare as she regarded him over the top of her menu. "Goodness me, Benjamin," she said. "It's worse than I thought. Pining away and sneaking hidden messages into that poor girl's hair. She doesn't have a clue, does she?"

His hands fisted on his lap. "No."

"Well, now I'm beginning to see why Han and I still don't have grandchildren."

"Mom!"

"Let's order, shall we?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 will be up as soon as I can proofread it - I've actually written this whole story already in like the span of four hours because I really dk what I'm doing with my life. Haha. Come say hi on twitter @reylo_mo


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because secret, one-sided professions of love via hair braiding can't go on forever.

Ben was just leaving pop sensation Kaydel Fisher's townhouse when his phone buzzed. Kaydel was his second appointment of the day, and she was delighted with the tousled waves he'd created, simple as they were. Nothing like the intricate braids he had fashioned for Rey earlier this morning for her live TV interview.

He'd laid off the engagement braid style after his disastrous brunch with his mother – besides, he couldn't use the same hairstyle so soon on Rey after she had sported it at the Press Association Awards. For her interview today, he'd opted for other kinds of braids instead – pretending he didn't know their meaning even as he carefully wove them into her chestnut hair.

A four-strand twist to announce classic beauty. A left-to-right weave to symbolise continuity. And a plaited knot finish to lock in affection.

No, that last part wasn't strictly true. Affection was actually a looser version of a braided knot. The tightness with which he'd finished Rey's meant something more that he wasn't going to acknowledge even in his own thoughts. 

Ben forced himself out of his reverie as he got into his car and pulled his phone out. There were two missed calls from Rose Tico from when he must have been occupied with Kaydel's hair, and a single more recent text message. Frowning, he opened it up. Why would Rose need to get hold of him? 

Rose Tico: _Ben, you need to know what happened this morning. Skip to 7:51_. 

He clicked on the link in Rose's message. It was the YouTube video of Rey's morning interview – it had to be, because she was wearing the same braids he had put in not four hours earlier. He thumb flicked the slider until it hit the timestamp Rose had mentioned. 

"Girl, I am loving your hair today," the interviewer said – Jannah, the banner at the bottom of the screen revealed. "I'm from Alderaan myself, and it's been a pleasure to see you bring a good old-fashioned braid back to the spotlight."

Oh, no. 

Rey's hand fluttered to her head. "I've always loved braids, even as a little girl," said Rey, smiling. "Now that my life is somehow all about photoshoots and events – and I still can't believe that it is! – I take advantage of getting my hair done in braids professionally all the time."

Jannah leaned in. "So you don't have anyone out there braiding your hair for you, non-professionally? Say, perhaps at the night of the Press Association Awards?"

Oh, _no._

Rey laughed. "I know what you're doing, Jannah."

Wait, she did?

"You do?" Jannah feigned innocence. 

"Yes," said Rey, her voice as sweet and confident always. "You're from Alderaan, so you're going to ask me why I was wearing an engagement braid to the Press Association Awards."

Ben was going to be sick. She knew. She _knew_.

"Rey Niima. Let me ask the questions!" said Jannah jokingly. She turned to the camera. "For those of you who aren't familiar, different types of braids mean different things in Alderaan. The meanings vary according to the pattern and the person who did the braid for you."

She turned back to Rey while a stunning shot of Rey at the awards night was shown on screen. "So Rey, did a special someone put an engagement braid into your hair that night?"

Rey grinned. "Sorry, Jannah," she said. "I'm not engaged. It was just an aesthetic choice made by my hairstylist that night."

Jannah and the whole studio aww-ed in disappointment, and Rey laughed. And as horrible as he was feeling, damn him, Ben felt his eyes linger on the line her throat made when she threw her head back. 

But it seemed like things were about to get a whole lot worse, because Jannah's head suddenly snapped round. "Rey? Doesn't celebrity hairstylist Ben Solo do your hair?"

"Yes," said Rey, "and he's amazing."

"Benjamin Organa-Solo is Alderaanian, isn't he?"

Rey stilled ever so slightly. And if Ben could see it, through the screen, Jannah had to be able to as well. But then Rey's celebrity training kicked in, and it was like her megawatt smile hadn't slipped at all. "He is," she said breezily. "I suppose that's why he's so good with braids." 

By some stroke of luck, or perhaps a divine miracle, Jannah didn't continue her line of questioning – probably cued that she needed to wrap up by some blessed, blessed producer. She led the interview away to some generic promotional talk about Rey's new movie, and then just like that, the clip ended. 

Ben sat in his car, smartphone still engulfed in his hand, shocked into stillness. 

This was bad. 

It could have been worse, but it was still really, really bad. 

He had just gotten Rey grilled live on national TV. 

They'd even brought up his name.

And she _knew_ that he'd put in an engagement braid. He thought about the braids that he'd put in this morning, for beauty, eternity, and love. He thought about all the braids he'd ever put into her hair that had spelled out all the different ways he felt about her.

Attraction. Devotion. Care. Affection. 

Had she known about all of them? 

Ben swore and slammed his hand against his steering wheel. Then he revved up the engine and made a start for Rey's house. 

***

Ben's name was already on the building's list of registered guests, so he didn't have a problem taking the lift up to Rey's floor unannounced. Before he knew it, he was pounding on her apartment door like his life depended on it. 

The door swung open, and Rose Tico was standing on the other side of it. She looked up at Ben and her eyes narrowed. "There you are," she hissed, "you absolute _id_ – " 

"Rose?" Ben heard Rey sniffle from inside the apartment. "Who is – " And then she shuffled into view and stopped short at the sight of Ben.

She looked a mess. It was obvious she had been crying, even though her make-up had been wiped clean – Ben supposed they had Rose to thank for that. The oversized sweater she was wearing was rumpled, her long legs bare with her feet jammed into fluffy bedroom slippers – but her hair was still impeccably done in the same arrangement he had left it this morning. 

His heart twisted inside his chest. She'd been _crying_. She was _upset,_ and it was all because of _him._

"Hold the door," muttered Rose, and Ben obeyed, never taking his eyes off Rey. The make-up artist ducked away to grab her handbag, and then stopped to give Rey an affectionate squeeze. "You two need to talk," Ben heard her whisper to the actress. " _Call me if you need me, alright?_ " And then she sidled past Ben, gave him a push through the doorway, and shut the door behind her. 

More than anything, Ben wished that he could just pull Rey into his arms and hug her. Crush her to his chest, keep her there, safe and close. But that was not how things were between them. She was the brightest star in the sky, and he was the bumbling idiot who should stay in his orbit. 

Because he'd already veered off course with the braids, and look where that had gotten them now. 

Rey turned around and padded into her living room. "Come on in, Ben," and he didn't know how she could still sound so sweet, and so soft, even when she must feel like raging at him. 

She sat on one end of her sofa, her legs curled up beneath her, and Ben sat down on the opposite end to offer her as much space as possible. He didn't know why she was even letting him near her, but he did know that he had to get the apology out even if she never spoke to him ever again.

"Rey," he said, wretchedly. "I'm so sorry."

She turned her hazel eyes towards him and it was like a sucker punch to see how sad they were. "What for, Ben?" she whispered. 

He ran a hand through his hair. So she was going to make him spell out his idiocy. Well, he deserved it. "The interview," he said. "I should have never put those braids in your hair. It's been done before, obviously, but probably not by an Alderaanian stylist in those particular styles. It could – it could give the wrong impression. And clearly, from this morning, it almost did. I didn't mean to put you on the spot – I swear, Rey. You shouldn't have had to go through that. I'm guessing this is a PR disaster for you."

Rey closed her eyes. "The interview was fine."

That was unexpected. "It – it was?"

"Yes. I spoke to my publicist after. We're used to questions about my love life, and Jannah didn't actually prod too deep, so that was fine. And although the significance of hair braiding is an Alderaanian thing, the braids themselves are commonly worn by people from all backgrounds so it's not a culturally sensitive issue for me to be wearing them. You did nothing wrong, Ben."

Ben stared. Yes, this sounded fine – except that – "Then why are you crying, Rey?"

And she was. A single tear spilled out from underneath her luxuriant lashes. 

"Because I was embarrassed," she whispered. "Because I was this close to having to say out loud on national television that although famed Alderaanian hairstylist Ben Solo has been putting all manner of braids into my hair, it's clear that he means nothing by them." 

Ben gaped at her. He wanted to speak, but his throat wouldn't work, and he wanted to move, but he was trapped in place. 

Rey drew in a shuddering breath. "I didn't even know what you were doing at first," she said, opening her eyes as she gave a pitiful half-laugh, half-sob. "I didn't know what you were doing with my hair. It wasn't like it was my idea, you know? But then you started giving me these amazing braids and I wanted to know what some of them were called and I googled it, and then there were all these Alderaanian meanings flying at me..."

She pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. "So I tried talking to you. To try and get to know you, Ben, to see if maybe you did like me the way I've been obsessively liking you since the first day we met. But you were always so cold, and distant, and – you're Alderaanian, Ben. There's no way you don't know what those braids mean. But you put them in anyway, and ignore me, so it's clear that I'm just – "

Ben closed the space between them and crashed his lips over hers, one hand moving to cup her cheek and the other on the braided knot at the side of her neck. _Love,_ the braid said. But he needed to say it himself.

He pulled away from her mouth and looked down into her shocked, tear-lashed eyes. "I love you," he said. "I've loved you from the moment we met. I've been putting those braids into your hair because I love you, and you're brilliant and beautiful and amazing, and I could never tell you because I was a coward and you were an angel. I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." He dropped his hands to grab hers, and brought them up to kiss them gently. "And I never want to hurt you again."

She was staring at him with something like wonder. "You love me?" she breathed. 

"I've said it a hundred different ways with a hundred different braids," he said. "But from now on I will say it to your face – if you will let me."

Rey pulled his face back down to hers and their lips met again. Their kiss was slower this time, deeper, calmer, and full of promise. When they both came up for air, Ben cradling her face with both hands and his forehead against hers, Rey smiled into his eyes and nodded. "I'll let you," she whispered. "But you have to say it every day."

Ben nodded fervently. "Every day for as long as I live."

That beautiful smile of hers widened. "And you'll have to keep saying it with the braids too."

Ben was like a man entranced. "I will. I swear."

They stayed like that for a while, just breathing each other in, until Rey gently bumped Ben's nose with the tip of hers. "Ben," she murmured. 

"Sweetheart," he whispered back. 

"I've thought of another way that you can say it to me."

Ben pulled back an inch to look at her, to take in her hazel eyes and freckled nose and already slightly messy braids. He imagined them unravelling as he made her come undone, only for him to do them up again and do the same thing over and over. 

He bent his lips down back to hers once more. "I can do that." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there you have it folks. Thank you so much for the all the love and the comments, this was really fun and I hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 2 too. This was my first time writing a modern universe (ever) and I think I'm warming up to it! 
> 
> If you would like to check it out, I also have a longer, ongoing WIP - [medieval AU arranged-marriage fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23820517/chapters/57234496) that I update weekly. 
> 
> I'm on twitter at @reylo_mo if you want to say hi!
> 
> future mo edit: if you liked this you'd probably also like my fluffy, sweet-as-anything wedding gatecrashing meetcute - [(gate)crash into you](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24608146) :P


End file.
